


drumming song

by tienye



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Character Study, Song Lyrics, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:49:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29031198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tienye/pseuds/tienye
Summary: The planet Phobenia was one that no-one seemed to visit twice. You either stayed there or vowed never to return again. There never was a definitive answer from someone as to why they would never dare to return to what looked quite a tranquil planet, people would always shy away from such a question if they were ever asked. So people went on their own to figure out what was turning people away, only to suffer the same, never wishing to speak of the planet again.This was where the Doctor came in. Never was she one to shy away from such a mystery, oh no. This was exactly her ballpark, she’d get to the bottom of this and save the day, for definite. That’s what she always did.
Kudos: 8





	drumming song

The planet Phobenia was one that no-one seemed to visit twice. You either stayed there or vowed never to return again. There never was a definitive answer from someone as to why they would never dare to return to what looked quite a tranquil planet, people would always shy away from such a question if they were ever asked. So people went on their own to figure out what was turning people away, only to suffer the same, never wishing to speak of the planet again.

This was where the Doctor came in. Never was she one to shy away from such a mystery, oh no. This was exactly her ballpark, she’d get to the bottom of this and save the day, for definite. That’s what she always did. 

At first she’d debated telling Yaz why it was they were visiting the planet. But as much as Yaz liked to jump into things as well, the Doctor didn’t want to worry her too much, just deciding to tell her it was a nice getaway for once. Nothing too drastic, at least she could hope. 

Arriving on Phobenia and stepping out of the TARDIS doors, the Delphinians seemed pleasantly surprised to have two visitors together. “Don’t get many these days'', they’d said, which led to both the Doctor and Yaz being a little shocked by that. It seemed like the ideal place to come and relax, why wouldn’t anyone come by? Though, after the events with the Tranquility Spa, Yaz couldn’t help but be the tiniest bit skeptical. 

It was apparently customary for visitors to go through a small process before being able to roam around freely, the two of them easily deciding to go through the process together rather than separately, which the Delphinians seemed almost joyful for. It was far easier together, so they were told. They were led away after this, Yaz letting herself glance around the corridors which seemed to grow darker and darker the further they walked, the Doctor keeping her eyes ahead, watching where they were walking carefully. Just in case.

Eventually, they were to reach a dimly lit circular chamber, with black walls spanning around them and flat concrete beneath them. Why the chamber was so big and grand, the Doctor couldn’t work out at first, but it was nice all the same, as opposed to the small boxes for rooms she was often shut in. She almost didn’t mind being shut in here, at least she had Yaz for company as well whilst they waited out whatever this process was. 

Walking around, the Doctor took a moment to look at the walls, trying to look up at the ceiling and finding nothing but an abyss above them. This was the boring part then, she assumed. The waiting in between the action, where they knew little of what awaited them, knew nothing of what to do to pass the time and get things going again. 

“There’s a drumming noise inside my head, Doctor, and it starts when you’re around.”

That voice.  _ 𝘕𝘰 _ .

It instantly sent a chill to her spine, but it didn’t seem to do the same to Yaz too. The look she was given from her companion was only full of confusion, and slight worry as she took a step closer to the Doctor.

“Doctor?”

She only ignored Yaz’s query, turning around to try and find whereabouts he was. Nothing. Was she imagining it then? She’d only hoped she had a hallucination, though that quickly went out of the window the moment she saw him almost materialise before her eyes. With his striking purple jacket, tartan trousers and that smug grin on his face. 

“I swear that you could hear it, it makes such an almighty sound.”

He’d gritted his teeth at that, a finger prodding at his own temple as he quickly moved forward to get into her personal space. Yaz was having none of it, as she attempted to drag the Doctor backwards, thinking it would free her from whatever it was she was seeing, not entirely accomplishing her goal. The Doctor needed to see him up close. Wanted to see what went on behind those eyes, what he was planning this time. Surely he must be behind whatever it was that was scaring so many people into never returning to the planet. But there was nothing, only a bitterness in his eyes, coupled with the underlying sadness she always saw throughout his many lives. 

“There’s a drumming noise inside my head Doctor, only it throws me to the ground.” 

No. Not 𝘩𝘦𝘳. Not Missy. 

In an instant, the Doctor swivelled around on her feet, her hearts stopping in her chest as she came face to face once more with Missy. It appeared she hadn’t changed since the last time they’d seen one another on that Mondasian ship, which only served to break her hearts even more. This wasn’t fair. 

“Doctor...I swear that you should hear it, it makes...such an almighty sound.” 

Her voice wavered at that, tears springing into her eyes. She looked almost terrified at the notion of there being a drumbeat in her head, knowing exactly what it would entail, what it would bring her. The Doctor knew, wanted to reach out and tell her it would be okay, she’d help her. But with the future incarnation of her standing right behind her, the Doctor knew it was futile trying to help her. 

“It’s louder than sirens, and it’s louder than bells. I could say it’s sweeter than heaven to hear, but it really feels hotter than any hell.” 

Saxon. 

Three of them teamed up to bring her down. She could do it, she could beat them with Yaz...Yaz, where had Yaz gone? The Doctor spun around, panicking, desperately wishing her friend would pop back up. Once it seemed like she wouldn’t, she glanced back at the three, trying to see if any of them would start gloating about taking Yaz away for any of their devious schemes. But there was nothing. It was almost like she hadn’t even been there. 

“I had ran to a tower where church bells chimed, dear Doctor, and I had hoped they would clear my mind.”

_ 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 _ voice she hadn’t heard in a very long time. 

Maybe he was behind it. The menace to UNIT, with his charming smile half hidden behind his beard, with his slightly greying hair and all black outfit. But the smile she was given gave no indication that he had done anything to Yaz, though this version wouldn’t have done such a thing. He was too good for that. 

“But all they did was leave a ringing in my ear, Doctor, and that drumbeat is still loud and clear.” 

Tremas. 

_ 𝘏𝘦 _ might’ve taken Yaz. He’d taken Adric before, he’d threatened the lives of companions as well, but the manner in which he held himself told her that he was only there to gloat, to weaken her. 

None of them appeared to acknowledge one another, which only confused her greatly. If all these versions were teaming up to weaken her, to carry out some evil, nefarious scheme together, why weren’t they talking or arguing with each other? Why was Missy here if she was so worried about the drums again? None of it made any sense. Unless…

“LOUDER than sirens, LOUDER than bells, Doctor!” 

Yana. 

Turning to face him, she could see the madness set deep into his eyes. The cruel smirk staring back at her. If anything, he would be the one to try and lead such a stunt. Him and O would both want to break her down with all this, most definitely, even if something was telling her this would never be the case. That it wasn’t their doing. 

The next voice to grace her ears nearly makes tears fill up her eyes. The voice she hadn’t heard in centuries, the one that would always bring on the most guilt. 

“I keep running to the river and diving in, praying the water will drive out the din.” 

Little Koschei…

She dreaded turning around to meet his gaze, not wanting to see the face of her first friend. It was too much for her, knowing what he’d turn out to be, what horrors awaited him. What horrors he must’ve been going through. All she got when she turned to look at him were his bright blue eyes staring up at her, emotionless at first. Then they turned icy, cold, anger sweeping through them. 

“But as the water filled my mouth, I couldn’t wash the echoes out.”

In the millisecond it took for her to blink at his words, he’d morphed into his older self. The truant officer. The one with the same gaze with such deep hatred written into it, the same gaze she’d seen before she’d had to cast him off into a black hole, with the same aura of vitriol she’d feel radiating off him when she’d tried to contact him after she’d run away from Gallifrey. 

“But as the water filled my mouth, I couldn’t wash the echoes out.”

The way he spat his words out, she could understand his hatred towards her. Years she’d spent not believing her dear friend about the persistent noise in his head, rather thinking he’d made it all up. Until he’d shown her. The guilt over all of that she still hadn’t fully gotten over. It appeared he wasn’t done, as he stepped closer with each following word. 

“I swallow that sound and it swallows me whole, until there’s nothing left inside my soul. I’m as  _ 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘺 _ as this beating drum!”

She couldn’t take the guilt. She couldn’t take it even then, but now it felt almost worse, having him there to actually say it aloud once more. This couldn’t be escaped from, not with them all circled around on her, and no with O grabbed her arm to force her to look at him, that same near sadistic smile dancing on his lips again. 

“But that song’s only just begun.”

Immediately, she wrenched her arm from his grasp, and he looked almost hurt for a moment before he just let it go. Letting all of them speak up again.

“As I move my feet towards your body”, came the UNIT enemy.

“I can hear this beat, it fills my head up”, followed Tremas.

“And gets louder and louder!” Yana carried on.

“It fills my head up and gets louder and louder!” echoed Saxon. 

Koschei was now standing right in front of her, startling her at first. Gone was the look of bitterness and pure hatred from his eyes, instead replaced by desperation. Tears also seemed to fill his eyes, alongside the faintest of smiles, in the brief glance before he leaned their foreheads together, placing a hand on one of her cheeks. 

“There’s a drumming noise inside my head, it starts when you’re around, Theta. I swear that you could hear it, it makes such an almighty sound.” 

She couldn’t stay where she was for too long, not able to hear it properly just yet, being pulled away by O. No desperation seemed to fill up his eyes, only a hidden sadness, almost being tired. Was he tired of her?

“There’s a drumming noise inside my head, it starts when you’re around, Doctor. I swear that you could hear it, it makes such an almighty sound.” 

Why couldn’t she just say that she knew? She understood, she knew it all, always had done, but she was just so 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 of what that noise was. What it meant. How she couldn’t ever do anything to get rid of them, or to help him at all, only having to leave him to suffer with them. 

As if tapping into her thoughts, little Koschei appeared again, looking almost panicked with his hands clenched into his hair, crying out as he yelled. 

“Louder than sirens! They’re louder than bells!” 

As if they were all part of a chorus, the following versions seemed to echo him, beginning to close in around her as they spoke. 

“Louder than sirens, louder than bells! Sweeter than heaven and hotter than hell!” 

They all seemed to mimic one another then, towering over her as she tried to cower on the floor, hands moving up as if they’d do anything to stop them. 

“As I move my feet towards your body, I hear this beat, it fills my head up! And it just gets louder and louder, it fills my head up! And it gets louder and louder!”

“DOCTOR!”

Yaz’s yell forced her to look back up. Only she was in the room with her now. No-one else, just Yaz. 

“Doctor, what the hell happened? You’re crying-”

At that, the Doctor furiously started wiping at her eyes, standing herself up as she just shook her head. Yaz didn’t need to know, no-one did. She didn’t need anyone being concerned for her. She just shook her head, and although the Doctor knew Yaz wanted to press on and find out what exactly had happened, she was grateful for the fact no further questions came.

“We need to go. I...we can’t stay here.” 

As soon as she’d uttered those words, the door swung back open, the Delphinians entering once more. Instantly the Doctor could recognise the faux concern plastered across their faces, their faux sympathy and the two not finding it suitable for them on Phobenia. Half-hearted apologies were uttered, it appearing like Yaz had taken them to heart.  Being escorted back out, back towards the TARDIS, the Doctor had to fight her instinctive urge to just run past them all, not wanting to spend another second in their presence. Just wanting the comfort of her TARDIS once more. For once, she wanted to shy away from a mystery. Perhaps some things were best left that way, she didn’t need to witness anything like that again. She could join the seemingly large group of people that would never set foot on the planet Phobenia. 

**Author's Note:**

> i know this was weird, and i'm sorry, but i was listening to Drumming Song by Florence + The Machine and i thought "huh. how would each of the Masters say lines in this?" and thus, this was born.
> 
> also yes, i know, i did change some of the lyrics with it, meant to!


End file.
